At one point in time, we all went through the believe of invincibility, courageously performing ridiculous antics for the benefit of the crowd and our own immature egos. We believed that nothing bad could ever happen, and taking risks was part of our everyday existence. In fact, a weekend wasn’t complete without an outrageous account to retell on Monday.

Now, of course, we are grown, and timid, and more aware of the repercussions and implications of our actions. We think about consequences, we review potential outcomes before attempting a risk. I don’t remember changing, it must have happened when I was asleep. Apparently I’ve grown-up, somewhat.

The recent stories this week of kids [and I really mean boys] spraying each other with Axe body spray, and then lighting themselves on fire initially made my head hurt. The stupidity, the juvenile antics of teenage boys trying to impress their friends and retain their position on the high school popularity ladder. And then I remembered….. When you are fourteen, you can’t possibly be afraid of things you haven’t thought through. And when you are fourteen, most of the things you do aren’t well thought out.

I remember.I remember stopping a girl who would one day grow up to be a beautiful finalist in the Miss Teen Canada pageant. Stopping her from filling her mouth full of hair spray so that she could then blow it out, lighting it on fire as she exhaled, thus becoming a fire-breathing dragon.

That was over 20 years ago. When we too believed we could fly.

The current trend isn’t anything new or troubling, or something to have school-board administrators any more up in arms about than usual. The only difference - now the whole world knows when you make an error in judgement. Instead of just your friends knowing of your accomplishments and failures, the whole world knows. And comments. The joys of growing up with the Internet.